Asia | Banyan

If America leaves Afghanistan there will be trouble

If it stays it may be double

WHEN HE CAME to office last month President Joe Biden inherited, in Afghanistan, America’s longest war. He also inherited a deal that his predecessor struck a year ago with the Taliban, who have fought a bloody insurgency ever since American-led forces ousted them from power in late 2001. Under the accord, Donald Trump agreed to withdraw all American forces by May 1st 2021—so supposedly ending this “forever war”.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Cool it or blow?”

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From the February 13th 2021 edition

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